Comments on: Why Can’t Airlines Support Professional Musicians Better?

By: Anita Campbell

Anita Campbell — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:58:08 +0000

HI Emon, I think his point was more about not being able to draw a direct correlation between the video and sales at the dealer level. Sales could be due to a lot of things, including marketing push by dealers. So I wouldn’t read too much into that.

– Anita

By: Emon

Emon — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:13:05 +0000

“Taylor Guitars has no way of knowing. They sell guitars through dealers and not directly to the public.”

That’s a knee-slapper. He should have just said “We don’t have the figures in yet” or “it’s too early to conclude a relation between the video and our sales” or something to that effect instead of giving you some BS answer.

Manufacturers may not sell to public, but they get a pretty good idea from dealers if a product is moving. How else would a manufacturer assess supply and demand?

But then again, companies get away saying anything.

By: Robert Brady

Robert Brady — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:39:58 +0000

While I agree that airlines should do a better job of handling professional musicians’ instruments, I would appreciate if baggage handlers would universally be more considerate of the luggage they’re heaving around. As I understand it, the Taylor guitar was broken from being mishandled. If they were careful (no special policy needed) this would have been avoided.

By: Susan Oakes

Susan Oakes — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:10:04 +0000

Martin,

I think Morris’s reaction probably sums it what others might think of wack a kitty.

Susan

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:49:34 +0000

Hopefully with all of the attention that the YouTube video has gotten, an airline will take advantage of becoming the first one to actually care about musicians and their instruments. It’s discouraging to invest your hard earned money into an instrument, take great care of it and then have it damaged by someone in the blink of an eye. Their livelihood depends on those tools.

By: RedHotFranchises

RedHotFranchises — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:09:46 +0000

It happens all the time not only to musical instruments but other cargo’s as well. Just be prepared for the risk. At least we still have laws for this kind of policy. Odds of your cargo damaged on an airline are very low.

By: Martin Lindeskog

Martin Lindeskog — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:50:36 +0000

Susan,

http://petairways.com/

I bet Morris the Cat would enjoy that! Please click on “Martin Lindeskog” Says: if you want to hear his opinion on another viral campaign called “Whack A Kitty”. Music + cats = meow sound track?!

By: Susan Oakes

Susan Oakes — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:58:20 +0000

I read somewhere that there was an airline for transporting animals only. Perhaps the airline would like to expand their business to also cater for musical instruments.

By: Martin Lindeskog

Martin Lindeskog — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 04:58:04 +0000

Anita,

Thanks for asking “my” question regarding the sales of Taylor guitars! (“I wonder about the sales of Taylor guitars nowadays” – July 12.) I think Richard Branson, with his background in the music industry (Virgin music stores), will come up with something.

One thing that could be a tough to figure out is the safety issue and threat with potential dangerous stuff that could be carried on the plane. But I think you will solve that problem with X-ray scanning and good practices when it comes to profiling the passengers. It would be pretty easy to figure out that the band members of the Sons of Maxwell are good guys and not potential trouble makers…